Privacy Policy｜Sony Research

Sony Research Inc. recognize that the information we receive from our customers is important property, and on providing better services to our customers, we believe that maintaining customers' personal information properly and using it in compliance with their intentions are our major responsibilities. In order to thoroughly protect private information, as a member of Sony group companies, we hereby declare keeping the following Privacy Policy.

Hiroaki Kitano
Chief Executive Officer
Sony Research Inc.

Sony Group Japan - Common Corporate Privacy Policy (*)

Operation Commencement Date: April 1, 2023
Amendment Date: May 30, 2017

Each company of the Sony Group (collectively, "Sony") is willing to build an environment in which the personal information of customers is safely stored, used and handled in line with the intention of customers, as well as gaining the trust of customers, and hopes to continue to provide numerous services, under this environment, which inspire and fulfil the curiosity of each customer.

Under this policy, and in accordance with Sony's philosophy of being honest and fair, Sony has prescribed the following policy on the handling of personal information, and is working to ensure the proper handling of personal information relating to its customers that it collects.

(*) This Policy encompasses Sony Group Corporation and its subsidiaries within Japan.

Handling of Personal Information

(Definition of Personal Information)

1. "Personal information" in this Policy refers to information relating to an individual that includes a name, date of birth, or other description, etc., that could be used to identify a specific individual, or that includes a individual identification code. All obtained information relating to customers that does not contain information in itself by which a specific individual could be identified, but which could be used to identify a specific individual by collating it with other information, shall be regarded as "personal information" within the scope that it can be handled in combination with other information.

(Compliance with Laws)

2. When handling personal information, Sony shall comply with the obligations set forth in the Act on the Protection of Personal Information, various other laws and regulations relating to the protection of personal information, guidelines published by the Personal Information Protection Commission and the competent authorities, as well as to this Policy.

(Use within the Scope of Utilization Purpose)

3. Except where the prior consent of the individual has been obtained, or where it is permitted by law, Sony shall handle personal information only within the scope required to achieve the previously specified purpose of use, and shall take measures to achieve this.

(Acquisition of Personal Information)

4. Sony shall endeavour to obtain personal information after expressing in advance the items, purpose of use, and contact point for inquiries, etc., of the personal information to be handled, and after obtaining the consent of the individual. In the event that special care-required personal information such as race and creed, etc., is included in the personal information, except where permitted by law, Sony shall not acquire such personal information without the consent of the individual. When obtaining personal information from a third party, if a legal obligation to check or create records arises when receiving provision from a third party, Sony shall comply with this.

(Personal Information of Customers Under the Age of 15)

5. Sony shall endeavour to comply with all laws and regulations applicable to the collection, storage, and use of personal information relating to customers under the age of 15. In the event of a child having provided personal information to Sony without the consent of their parent or guardian, we ask that a parent or guardian contacts us at the address specified in this Policy.

(Security Control Action)

6. Sony shall endeavour to keep the content of personal information accurate, complete, and up to date within the scope of the purpose of use, shall take the necessary and appropriate secure management measures in accordance with technological standards at that point in time in order to prevent unauthorised access, leakage, tampering, loss, or damage, etc., and shall make corrections as necessary.

(Supervision Over a Trustee)

7. Sony, within the scope required for the achievement of the purpose of use, may entrust the handling of personal information to another Sony Group company or a third party. In such a case, the appropriate secure management measures shall be taken under the Sony Group common information security policy. In addition, with regard to the contracting of business to a third party, efforts shall be made to ensure that secure management is performed as strictly as possible in relation to the handling of personal information, such as through the execution of a contract. If a third party in a foreign country is contracted to perform business, and a legal obligation to create records arises, Sony shall comply with this.

(Third Party Provision)

8. Except where permitted by law, Sony shall not provide personal information to a third party without obtaining the consent of the individual. If personal information is provided to a third party, and a legal obligation to create records arises at the time of such third party provision, Sony shall comply with this.

(Respond to a Demand etc. for Disclosure etc.)

9. Sony shall respond appropriately to requests for the disclosure, amendment, ceasing of use (for introducing products and services, etc.), and deletion of personal information, as well as other comments and inquiries regarding the handling of personal information, based on the provisions of laws and regulations. Please contact the address of the company to which you provided information for assistance.

(Strengthening of Systems, Training, Etc.)

10. To ensure the appropriate handling of personal information, Sony shall endeavour to continually strengthen and improve internal systems, including reviewing this Policy, by appointing a manager for personal information, establishing internal regulations, training officers and employees, and implementing the appropriate internal audits, etc.

Sony Research Inc.- Public Disclosure etc. on Matters relating Personal Information

Operation Commencement Date: April 1, 2023
CEO: Hiroaki Kitano

The "Act on the Protection of Personal Information" (hereinafter "the Act"), with regard to personal information that is obtained by the Company (Name: Sony Research Inc.), which is a business operator handling personal information, prescribes the statutory matters, such as the purpose of use, that should be published or made easily accessible to the individual. With regard to the items set forth in 1 to 5 below, the Company states the following (the terms, etc., used are the same as those in the Domestic Sony Group Common Privacy Policy).

Information to be obtained: Stated in paragraph 1 of sections through II below.
Utilization Purpose: The purpose of use of personal information (related to Article 18 Paragraph 1 of the Act) and the purpose of use of retained personal data (related to Article 27 Paragraph 1 of the Act) at the time of acquisition (hereinafter collectively referred to as "purpose of use"). Stated in paragraph 2 of sections through II and -3 below.
Joint User and Subcontractor of Personal Information (hereinafter "personal information recipient"): Information on joint users is provided in -2 below. Cases where there is a subcontractor are stated in the items of sections through II.
Contact Point: "The address for reporting complaints relating to the handling of retained personal data" prescribed in Article 5 of the "Ordinance for the Enforcement of the Act on the Protection of Personal Information". Described paragraph 4 of sections through II below.
Procedures for responding to requests, etc., for disclosure, etc.: The procedures for responding to inquiries regarding notifications of the purpose of use (Related to Article 27 Paragraph 2 of the Act), disclosure (Related to Article 28 Paragraph 2 of the Act), cessation, etc., of use (Related to Article 30 Paragraph 2 of the Act), and the cessation of third party provision (Related to Article 30 Paragraph 4 of the Act) of retained personal data (hereinafter collectively referred to as "requests, etc., for disclosure, etc."). Described in -5、II-4 below.

Details

I. Provision of Services in Business

I-1. Information to be obtained: Name, address, telephone number, occupation, place of work, email address, content and history of comments and inquiries, as well as other information obtained as needed for the provision of services.
I-2. Purpose of use: The business activities relation to research and development of information processing, information communication and general system software/hardware, application software related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) software and robotics systems.
I-3. Personal information recipients: Information on joint users is provided in -2 below.
I-4. Contact Point: Please use this link to contact Sony Research.
I-5. Procedures for responding to requests, etc., for disclosure, etc.: Please use this link to contact Sony Research.

II. Corporate Communication Activities

II-1. Information to be obtained: Name, address, date of birth, gender, telephone number, occupation, workplace, email address, content and history of comments and inquiries, other information obtained as needed for the provision of information and various communications.
II-2. Purpose of use: Provision of information and various communications to reporters, etc., in conjunction with corporate communication activities.
II-3. Recipients of personal information: Some information may be shared with subcontractors for the purpose of use described in 2 above.
II-4. Contact point and procedures for responding to requests, etc., for disclosure, etc.: Please direct any inquiries HERE
(Matters relating to personal information concerning employment applicants and our employees shall be published or notified, etc., to the individual separately.)
II-5. Procedures for responding to requests, etc., for disclosure, etc.: Please use this link to contact Sony Research.

III. Matters Relating to Joint Use (Related to Article 23 Paragraph 5 Item 3 of the Act)

Article 23 Paragraph 5 Item 3 of the Act prescribes, as an exception for third party provision, that in the event of personal data (excluding special care-required information) being used jointly with a specified party being provided to said specified party, and the fact of this along with certain matters being made easily accessible to the individual, said specified party is not applicable as a "third party" referred to in third party provision, and that personal data may be provided to said joint user without obtaining the prior consent of the individual. In regard to this, there may be cases in which the Company jointly uses personal data that is obtained in accordance with the following items.

III-1. Items of personal data to be jointly used: Personal data provided through communications to the customer contact point, or via customer registration procedures for an event etc.(information relating to the contacted party, including inquiry history, name, address, telephone number, and email address etc.) and information collected in relation to the items of sections through above.
III-2. Scope of parties to be engaged in joint use: Sony Corporation of America
Sony AI America Inc.
Sony Europe B.V.
III-3. Purpose of Use of Using Parties: Responding to communications to the contact point and other inquiries.
III-4. Party with Responsibility for the Management of Personal Data: Sony Research Inc.
Remarks: If the Company separately indicates a specific purpose of use, etc., by means of notification to the individual or approval of the terms of use, etc., such specific purpose of use, etc. shall be applied with precedence over the above. Thank you for your understanding.

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